Tennessee Bank & Trust has received approval from the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, moving the organization one step closer to becoming the first bank to open in the state of Tennessee in 10 years. The charter for the bank was filed with the state of Tennessee on June 30, 2017.

“We are pleased to have received approval from the TDFI and FDIC,” says Dan B. Andrews, Jr., president and CEO of the bank. “This separate bank charter will enable Tennessee Bank & Trust to be an independent, locally-oriented commercial bank in Middle Tennessee.”

Tennessee Bank & Trust is currently operating as a branch division of Farmers Bank & Trust Company of Blytheville, Arkansas. The bank is headquartered in Green Hills, with a branch located in Franklin.

“The next step of the process will be to update our banking systems. We will be reaching out to all current clients to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible,” Andrews adds. “We look forward to being able to establish new, innovative product platforms for our present and future clients in Middle Tennessee.”

Tennessee Bank & Trust will become the seventh bank to join a portfolio of community banks in Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee wholly owned by Gaylon Lawrence, Jr., with assets totaling just over $2 billion. Information: www.tennesseebankandtrust.com.

Mobile tech company to open in La Vergne

HYLA, Inc. officials have announced the company will open a new facility in La Vergne, investing more than $1 million.

HYLA specializes in mobile device reverse logistics technology and services. The new La Vergne facility is expected to add 225 new jobs. The company will locate its new operations in a 100,000-square-foot facility in Rutherford County.

The La Vergne plant will assess the condition of each mobile device that it receives from HYLA customers. Its job is to remove all customer data, conduct repairs as needed and resell the devices into secondary markets throughout the U.S. and internationally.

HYLA also offers software solutions including Analytics and Omni-Channel Device Collections for its customers. To date, HYLA has collected and repurposed over 43 million devices, diverted over 9,500 tons of e-waste away from landfills and avoided 51.5 billion gallons of ground water pollution.

“We are excited about our new mobile device reverse logistics technology facility,’’ says Biju Nair, president and CEO of HYLA, Inc.

“We selected the State of Tennessee, Rutherford County and La Vergne due to its central location, business friendly environment and high-quality talent pool. We look forward to becoming an active member of the community and working together with local organizations to bring additional employment and prosperity to this region.’’

Valeo expansion to add 80 new jobs in Smyrna

Valeo North America, Inc., an international automotive supplier, has announced the company will expand its operations in Smyrna.

Valeo will invest $25 million and create 80 new jobs in Rutherford County.

The company’s expansion will add 130,000- square-feet to provide space for new equipment and will increase the volume of existing product offerings and also add new product lines.

Manufacturing at Smyrna will include front-end modules, active grill shutters and in the future, HVAC products.

“We are thrilled that Valeo continues to add commerce and opportunity to the town of Smyrna,” says Mary Esther Reed, Smyrna mayor. “We congratulate Valeo on its expansion and wish this great corporate partner many more years of continued success.”

Valeo contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and to the development of intuitive driving. Valeo has 166 plants, 20 research centers, 38 development centers and 15 distribution platforms and employs 100,900 people in 32 countries.

VUMC to focus on infection, immunology

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has announced the launch of a new institute to coordinate cross-discipline work on infection biology, immunology and inflammatory diseases.

The Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, headquartered at the Medical Center, will pursue a trans-institutional approach that leverages knowledge from across the campus for research and training programs.

The goal is to seek a more comprehensive understanding of the human immune system.

“Achieving a greater understanding of the mechanisms of immunology and infection is medicine’s next frontier and an area critical to the future of humankind,” says Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of the Medical Center and dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

The director of the new institute is Eric Skaar, Ph.D., MPH, Ernest W. Goodpasture Professor of Pathology, vice chair for Basic Research and director of the Division of Molecular Pathogenesis in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Eric Skaar as the founding director of this new institute. He is an internationally recognized leader in infectious disease research and is making seminal discoveries at the intersection between nutrition and infection,” says Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., executive vice president for Research for VUMC, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and director of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. “In addition to his scientific expertise and breadth, he brings tremendous leadership skills and vision that will catalyze a rapid launch of VI4 collaborative research and training programs.”

Jeffrey Rathmell, Ph.D., professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Immunobiology, will serve as associate director.

This is a time of “significant need and incredible opportunity,” Skaar said. “Infectious disease is a rare example of a clinical specialty for which treatment options are predicted to decrease in coming years.”

TrustPoint Hospital Murfreesboro expands

Acadia’s TrustPoint Hospital in Murfreesboro has selected DeAngelis Diamond as the general contractor for a 96,000 square-foot addition.

The project will expand the existing hospital, adding a two-story, 116-bed acute care behavioral health unit.

The addition will also require a 2,300-square-foot, one-story interior renovation to serve as the connector to the main hospital. A new expansion of the existing building will add seven patient beds, making this a 123-bed project as a whole.

Construction is set to begin in August and will be completed in 2019.

“We are thrilled and honored to be working with Acadia and The Noli White Group again on such a significant project for their organization and the local Murfreesboro community,’’ says Jason Sain, vice president and principal in DeAngelis Diamond’s Nashville office.

DeAngelis Diamond, working on behalf of Innovations Group, also has announced it is involved in a preconstruction and construction project with Plastic Surgery Center in Brentwood. Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

STARS receives Nissan Foundation grant

The Nissan Foundation has donated $15,000 to STARS to support the program’s anti-bullying project.

STARS, a nonprofit working in clinical, behavioral and mental health services, has launched a program entitled, “Understanding Bullying Prevention Through the Lens of Cultural Competence.’’

Offered in more than 160 school and community sites throughout Middle Tennessee, STARS’ five evidence-based programs and services support young people in overcoming the social and emotional barriers they face by addressing issues like bullying, substance abuse and violence.

“Understanding the necessity of cultural competence is crucial to achieving civil discourse in our schools and workplaces,” says Rodger Dinwiddie, STARS CEO.

“By awarding us this grant, the Nissan Foundation will support STARS as we continue working to reduce bullying and harassment by promoting understanding and appreciation of the things that make us different.”

Metro Schools gives parents extra time

Metro Nashville Schools is extending enrollment center hours at two locations this month to allow parents access to school services outside of the regular workweek.

The Central Office and Global Mall Enrollment Center will be open every Saturday in July from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., offering enrollment, withdrawal and transfers during those hours.

There will be staff at both locations to provide English Learner assessments for students whose first language is not English.

The Central Office is located at 2601 Bransford Ave. and the Global Mall Enrollment Center is at 5250 Hickory Hollow Pkwy, Suites 257-258 in Antioch.